Terma Lane, an Azur Lane story

Fresh Start, 1940

[January 1940]
[POV Bastion}

It's a busy day, and I'm here with HMS Berkeley. We're on the backseat of a car, driving around inspecting the newly refurbished naval base. The attack last year definitely had a major effect on our overall effectiveness, we just finished fixing and upgrading some necessary areas. 

With me is HMS Berkeley, she insisted in following me. I had no choice but to let her on the car. There's a familiar figure walking by the docks, so I pulled over to greet her.

"Good morning Formie!"

Formidable, she's overseeing the repositioning of docked ships. She turns her attention to me and greets back. There's some dark areas under her eyes, she must have stayed up all night. "Morning miss Bastion, morning Berkeley" 

Berkeley, who's sitting beside me, quickly noticed her condition "My goodness Formidable... Didn't I tell you against staying up?"

I'm relieved that Berkeley have tried to help Formie, but she just didn't listen. "She's right Formie." I added "Lack of sleep can severely mess with combat effectiveness."

She yawns and nods "I'm sorry, I'll keep that in mind"

Formidable continued her task, while me and Berkeley are going to the main base office. Upon arrival, Berkeley is sent out on a mission. 

In the hallway, Berkeley waved at us and walked away saying "Goodbye".

After she left, I continued my walk to the main office. The base insides are rather fancy, they certainly didn't hold back on decorations. I arrived at the door, with a sign that says 'Commander'. Three knocks on the door, and a female voice answers.

"Come in!"

I open the door and step inside, we stand in front of the commander. She's actually my sister ship, HMS Stronghold. Apparently naval high command haven't found new talents to be our commander, so my sister is a temporary one.

I decided to greet first.
"Good morning commander."

She looked away from the paperwork, and greeted us with a warm smile
"Good morning Bastion. Also, you can just call me by my name it's fine."

Stronghold, the middle sister. We all voted her to be commander from her discipline. She seems busy so I decided to just ask one question. "Are there any tasks that require my presence?"

She looks at the list on the wall and back at me. "Apparently no, but you can help oversee some upgrades in the dockyard."

"I'll be doing that then, that is all, thank you." After answering I left the commander's office and make my way down to the dockyard.

[Ceres Minor Sea]

[HMS Berkeley POV]

It's been hours after the start of the mission, and I'm still patrolling. Currently the time is 17.00, the soft gusts of wind blowing against my ship's bow. The sunset, perfect yellow and orange bursts fill the western skies. With those I starts to sing a song I know from way back, but apparently my voice leaves much to be desired. Luckily I haven't met anyone to shy away from.

After awhile I spotted a mast in the distance. There shouldn't be anyone in this sector so I decided to check it out. What it actually is surprised me.

??? : "Oh, if it isn't the Royal Navy ships..."

Such a large vessel... I start to file a report in secret and send back to base, while I distract it by talking.
"Don't know what did you put that 's' for, because I'm the only ship here."

??? : "Oh I thought they usually come in pairs, my mistake then. Your identity?"

He's surprisingly polite, despite already encroaching on Royal Naval territory. What harm can a little introduction cause?
"Light Cruiser HMS Berkeley. Now your turn. "

H-014: "Battleship H-014 from the H-0 class."

Just as I expected, the flagship of the Trislandian Kriegsmarine, none other than the impressive Fast Battleship Wiemann.
"You're getting a little bit too close, don't you think?" I said to him, even when I am like, a quarter of his size.

H-014 then starts talking some new stuff I haven't heard anyone said before. "Yet what is borders... It's something that will only separate us." How many bottles of schnapps did this guy drink before this mission? I don't know but must've been a great time.

I continue to talk sense to him. "We still go by orders, and now mine's to protect the Royal Navy naval borders."

He then stood up on his turret and says. "I recommend not to attack."
Okay mister Newton, you're inside Royal Navy territory, and you asked me to not attack? Good grief... You not bugging off now is already compelling me to stick a torp up where it belongs.

Well, considering all odds are against me right now, I won't back down. " Well to that I recommend you to get out of here."

Oh now he seems pissed, he's summoning his riggings. "So be it."
Cocky as hell, as all flagships should be... except Bastion but eh

"You're on!" I say as I summon my own riggings and unleash a salvo of my 8 inch main guns. 

But they did no effect as he just whips out his sword and slice the incoming shells. "Such noble moves, but ones that will end in vain." He says as he fired a full salvo of his 15 inch main guns. God damn did I bite more than I can chew.

I summoned my spear and blocks the incoming shells, but still I'm knocked backwards quite far away from the kinetic force. Yet I somehow managed to keep my composure.
"Impressive indeed, H-014... "

I charged at him and launched my torpedoes, while now he's on the defensive. He says to me: "I'm not looking to sink any ships today."

I know that's straight cap, that's just cap. There's no way summoning riggings and fighting will not lead to sinking.
"Unlikely... "

"Feuerhagel" He says as he fires his secondary guns in a rapid barrage. I barely dodged it, scratches and holes were made but I'm afloat

"It seems I'm on the losing side here.."

But at that very moment, a rain of shells came from a direction unexpected to me. But it seems that he's also rather surprised by it. He did plan for this, didn't he?

"These sirens kept bugging other's businesses." I said, looking at the mass production ships coming out from a portal.

Well, he answered to me. "We may need to cut our battle short thanks to these sirens"

Well of coarse ya freakin horse, ya think this is a time fore a fite innit?
Okay okay calm down... hoofh... well... "Yep."

Alright, I can handle this no proble-

Wait... Siren aircraft carrier?

Oh noOoOoooOOoo

It's launching strike aircraft at us, but I think I have the aircraft bit under control... Oh? what is this? He's also looking at the sky with a stern expression? This is gonna be a ball game. Before we know it our AA guns are blasting at the sky already. The aircraft are simply ducks in a barrel.

Well considering my guns do not have the adequate penetrating power, I target the more minor but numerous ships. And he instinctively target the more major and concentrated ones, because his 15 inch guns have the power to pierce thick armour. 

One by one... Destroyers... Cruisers... Battleships... 
They're shipwrecks...

one remain, the Aircraft Carrier. I launched a volley of torpedoes at it and immediately the carrier went up in flames.

"We never met." We both say to each other at the same time, and then practically leaving the scene in an instant.

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Sorry for the wait lol, been real busy (and lazy)